Steve Smith Scouting Report

Steve Smith, WR, USC

Smith was overshadowed throughout his career at USC, first by Mike Williams and then by Dwayne Jarrett. He will literaly be overshadowed by his peers at the next level, as Smith stands just 6-0 and 197 pounds. Unless he is the same Steve Smith as the current Carolina Panthers star, this Steve Smith most likely will never rise to the upper echelon of the NFL's wide receiver corps. It's just very difficult for undersized receivers in this day and age to go up against big, physical defensive backs. The Panthers' Steve Smith is the exception, not the rule. That said, this Smith could eventually become a solid contributor on Sundays. Scouts certainly think so, after Smith recently turned in a great workout at the NFL Combine. Initially thought of as a medium-speed possession receiver, Smith ran a pair of 40-yard dashes in 4.40 seconds. He also excelled at some other running drills and a number of pass-catching drills. He is sure-handed and has shown the ability to catch almost uncatchable passes, so that will help him overcome his size disadvantages. Smith's work at the combine could vault him into the second round of the NFL Draft.